Maybe, just maybe
by little purple butterflies
Summary: I know this has been done a hundred times by now but I decided to share my version of what thoughts triggered Neal's smile in the last few seconds of the episode. Spoilers for 3x16 Judgement Day.


A/N: I wrote this piece last year right after watching "Judgement Day" - meaning just minutes after its last scene. It's probably not my most well-written one but I don't wanna go back and change it cause I like the tone of it.

And thanks to everyone who reviewed/alerted one of my stories!**  
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**Disclaimer: All characters are property of USA network, Jeff Eastin, ect. I just borrow them for some fun.****  
****Special thanks to my dear friend Sarah (1983Sarah) for all her help and encouragement and the great beta. Any mistakes that are still in there are mine.**

Sitting in his seat at the plane Neal Caffrey turned his head toward the window at his right, seeing the skyline of New York slowly growing smaller while being engulfed by the setting sun and he thought back to his last conversation with Peter Burke. He had told his friend that no matter the outcome of the commutation hearing come Monday morning he'd be back at the FBI office ready to work.

This wasn't gonna happen now.

Not with Agent Kramer hell-bent on taking him to Washington and putting him on a proverbial leash for the rest of his life - or at least the next 25 years of it.

The smile on his face, a result of the freeing feeling of having pulled off a successful last-minute getaway, slowly faded away.

True, he was safe for now - well, as safe as a former-felon-turned-FBI consultant on the run could be. And thanks to Mozzie thinking ahead they could even lay low for a long while, so they would be able to perform a complete disappearing act.

But looking back at the now hard to make out outline of the city he had decided to call home not long ago he realized that a good portion of the life he'd come to enjoy was now ripped from him; the people he considered family that he had to leave behind without even saying goodbye to, let alone the chance to at least stay in contact with.

With the exception of Mozzie, his long-time friend, companion and literally partner in crime, sitting next to him right now, he was alone again.

He thought of June Ellington, his landlord, confidante on occasion and surrogate mother, of her smiles that always made him respond in the same way, of the shared hours spent in the park with no need to hide his feelings behind a mask and the numerous dances they had. The person who had invited him to stay at her house on pretty much face value, just because he reminded her of her late husband Byron, a former con man himself.

He thought of Elizabeth Burke, his handler's wife, the one person he could always turn to for help and support, someone who'd first listened and then judged. The person who had forgiven him so quickly after being kidnapped as leverage over Neal by one of his nemesis just months ago.

He thought of Sara Ellis, the love they had shared in their short relationship and just might have had again had that chance not been taken away now. The insurance investigator that knew who he had been and to a degree still was - a con artist, a forger, a thief - and still believed in him and loved him, even helped him in some not so legal ways.

He thought of Clinton Jones, a member of Peter's team who treated him like a colleague rather than a criminal, whose teasing was a welcomed change to the mistrusting looks of fellow agents. One of the few who trusted him when undercover, laying his life into the consultant's hands without a second thought.

He thought of Diana Berrigan, another member of Peter's team, someone he could so easily confide in. A person who had risked her job for him just a day ago by helping him evading Kramer and his men long enough to avoid getting arrested before Peter's rescue plan was in place.

And he thought of Peter Burke, his handler, partner, best friend, the only person Neal truly trusted. Who had done so much for him over the last three years and more importantly over the last few days. The man who seemed to know him better than he knew himself, who stood by him when no one else did, who fought for him, looked out for him, cared enough for him to still support him even after every setback they had had due to Neal's fallbacks into the life of a criminal. The person who gave him a life in New York, who was responsible for the subtle changes in him.

His partner who stood up to his mentor Kramer in order to keep Neal with him, who didn't hesitate to cross the line he had walked so carefully before just for him, who kept believing that the young man was changing despite being proven wrong a couple of times before.

And the person who, just with a small shake of his head, showed not even an hour ago to have finally found what Neal had been wishing for the most in the last three years: the agent's trust in him; a tiny gesture to tell him that they couldn't win this fight, to tell him to cut the anklet and run despite the man's numerous attempts to keep him from doing that on previous occasions. His friend who'd rather see him running, leaving him and being free than staying and getting taken away eventually by the mentor he had trusted until a day ago.

Thinking of all of this brought the smile back to the young man's face as he turned away from the scenery outside. And along with it came the hope that maybe, just maybe he'd be able to see the family he had to leave behind again.

Because he was sure that they'd be trying just as hard as he would to make that happen as soon as possible.

**A/N2: Thanks for reading! If you have some time please leave a review! ****Constructive criticism is always appreciated.**


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